Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-12
CUBAN LAWS.
The Statutes of Three Hundred
Years Ago Still in Force.

The Statutes of Three Hundred
Years Ago Still in Force.
NEW YORK, April 9.-The shrill whis-
tie of one of the Havana policemen at
tracted the attention OF the people who
were dining in the principal hotel of Ha.
vana the her night, and half Of them fol-
lowed the clerks and porters out on the
sidewalk. Directly In front of the hotel
is little park, and near one of the small
| fountains was man writing about and
digging his fingers into the ground IN his
agony. lie mOaned constantly. lie was
| dying. AT distance Of perhaps twenty
| feet from him were tour policemen, with
their arms folded, smoking cigarettes and
keeping an alert eye on all pedestrians.
II a man approached the poor wretch who
was dying there, he was sternly warn ed
of. The Americans who had been dining
In the hotel started toward the man in
| the park i'll body, but they were pushed
and led back by the hotel employees amid
considerable excitement.
"Y0u mustn't 80 there" said one of the
interpreters. earnestly.
NV by nOJ? asked a burly aud good
natured Newark physician, moving for
ward again. The mans got cramps
probably from hunger-and little aid
to stand here and see him die"
"No, no. Don't 20 over there. Listen
to me. / know 1t viii be very serious for
you Ii you"
But the Jerseyman pushed ahead, fol-
lowed by his countrYmen, while the in.
terpreter rushed into the hotel after an
American merchant who has lived here
for thirty years and who has a wide
knowledge Of Cuban affairs. This gentle
hsn k..N = H.
his cOuntrymen In such an authoritative
way that they returned to the hotel again
slowly.
"Slay here" he said shortly, "aud keep
away from all such scenes as that while
you are in Cuba. The Spanish laws Of
800 years ago are still in force, which call
for the arrests of witnesses to any crime
or tragedy
But that man is dying" protested the
Jerseyman.
II can see that plainly enough. He is
either dying Of sickness or he has been
stabbed in the back by some enemy. The
coroner has beeu sent for and he Will
probably be here in two hours. Mean
while, il it is a murder the police Will
have to make some arrests TO satisfy their
supeTiOrs. God help the men they take
into custody. Prisoners here are kept in
Jail months and months-and foul iails a {
that-Without amy preliminary eXamina-
ton or commitment by q magistrate, and
then they are tried without be-
Ing allowed to be present at
their trials. Witnesses are not cross
examined and sentence is executed be-
fore there is a chance for stay OF pro-
caedIngs. Look about here. You Can see
thousands OF people watching that poor
DEVILS death agonIes from safe distances.
See them staring from hosetops and from
behind pillars and balf-closed windows.
They are not towards, but there Is not
one among them that would dare TO risk
the consequences of going to the aid OF
that unfortunate man.
One or two other old Cuban residents
Joined the group, and We finally went
back TO tue dining.room. Tine grooming
and moaning OF the man was awful. 1t
all occurred In the heart OF the city OF
Havana. and in a situation not unlike
that OF the Filth Avenue Hotel on Mad-
son square, New York. jumped into
hack and drove away from the neighbo
hood when | could stand the thing no
longer, and Iafterward learned that after
TWO hours the man died and was subse-
quently removed. He had been stabbed
IA the side. No effort Was made TO get
assistance for him by the brutal police
beyond sending for the Coroner. Two
men were arrested, and they are now IN
Jail. Everywhere there Is crime. The
Spanish run the city by military force,
aud they make profound failure OF II.
II " undoubtedly the worst governed city
IN the world. Three murders were com.
mtted IN two days last week. The papers
have no mention Of them. II 10 against
The orders OF the government 20 print
news. BLAKKLY HALL.